HAPPY NEW WEEK!I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
I'm including a link to this 1-minute video just because I thought it was funny. It's a parody of the David Attenborough BBC Planet Earth scene about the Bird of Paradise male trying to attract a mate. It made me laugh out loud. I thought others maybe could use a laugh, too.
Didn't click on reply but my message zoomed off anyway! I was about to say Thank You to LINDA for the picture of bluebell woods - we have often enjoyed visiting them in various locations near where we have lived over the years!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Glad you had a reasonable lunch (plus dessert!) yesterday, in spite of the noises offstage, OG. Don't know where I got the bluebells picture from, it was stored on my tablet and I've probably posted it before! But it seemed appropriate.
My OH has gone to golf in Ruby - as she's only a two door car he has to take the rear shelf out to get everything in! I'm hoping he and she will both return shortly, as I have an appointment with the Nurse after lunch, to have my blood pressure taken and I don't want it to go up because of hassle! As I walked this morning, it was a chance to admire everyone's gardens on the way, plus get in a bit of exercise. I met no less than three people I know, so it prolonged it both ways, longer than expected!
LINDA - just to make it clear - I didn't have dessert! I used to love walking everywhere to enjoy people's gardens- and gain ideas for ours!
Hi, all!
OG: I'm so glad that you had such a wonderful day with your grandsons and family. I'm also glad you had a nice lunch yesterday. Sorry about the nail gun. Ugh. The photos of Miriam were glorious. She's beautiful. I'm glad the diagnosis from the doctor wasn't too bad.
Heather: It sounds like you've been very adept at dealing with the strong-willed Bella. You seem to have been very busy with family. That's probably good for you.
Annette: I hope you stay safe from the fires in your state. I've been watching them multiply. Don't take any risks and don't hesitate to leave if you're threatened. Drive away and treat yourself to a hotel stay.
Lindy: I so enjoyed looking at all your photos of your time in Anglesey. That's a lovely location, and Bonnie looked very happy! I loved the rocky coast. The tall trees were beautiful! I hope the doctors will take good care of your friend.
dibnlib: The river cruise must have been wonderful! I'd like to do that.
ForestBoar: I'm so sorry about your health issues. Best wishes to you.
ChrisyB: Nice to see you. I hope you're enjoying Wales and the ospreys!
Rosy: So sorry the flat below you is undergoing so much noisy renovation. I hope it won't last much longer. I also hope you aren't doing too much work in the garden. That sounded awfully demanding. Take care of yourself.
Lynette: Hello to you. Hope it's cooler there and you're feeling well.
Hello to bjane and to PatO.
AQ: I'm so very sorry about your OH's diagnosis. I'm sending both of you strength. I loved your stories about nanny duty. Well done for compiling all of those photos for our daughter. I need to organize and scan a bunch of old family photos.
Hugs to Limpy and Clare, too.
Sorry if I've missed anyone. I haven't been posting much. It's the Dog Days of Summer doldrums. LOL I'm off to dog-sit for my friends in Indianapolis in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to dog cuddles.
Take care, all.
Hi Diane. Nice to get a long post from you, although you don't tell us much about how you are - OK, I hope, in spite of the doldrums!
I had raised blood pressure, but I told the Nurse that it was likely to be the fact that the cuff they put on you, hurt my arm. I wonder how many other ladies find that it squeezes the bit of flab on the arm, and is painful! However, she is going to report the findings to the Doc and hopefully I can remain on the new medication now, as I feel very well on it. Had a chat on the phone to my Friend G, and she is coming here tomorrow after a clinic visit.
OG - Observant of you that I said little about doing Nanny duty! It's complicated, but my OH doesn't want us both to go if we're needed there, as Bonnie makes it extra difficult and would have to be left behind. So only one of us was going to go, with the other, dog-sitting. Arguments have ensued as to who should go..... However, as they are now managing without us, it may not come to that, yet. There are still half terms to come!
Yesterday began with a warm sunny day, temp almost to 23 C. Then the dust storm hit. Farmers topsoil, alas. Visibility in some areas bad, asthmatics warned to stay inside. Last eve the rain started, we’ve had 19 mm overnight. Brilliant.
Rosy – A few weeks ago you wrote “I am rather intrigued by the term 'crops have been sown using dryland techniques'. I have never heard of that before.”
Marginal areas that have to rely on natural rainfall. No irrigation possible. Minimal ploughing or topsoil will blow away (as it did yesterday). Weed control to reduce need for moisture. Choosing crops that will survive. It is all about conserving what little moisture there is available. Rainfall 20 ins a year is average for our farming areas.
Lindy- My Doctor calls that "white coat syndrome". My blood pressure is fine until I get to the doctor's office
Evening all:
AQ: Was interested in the "no irrigation possible" comment. Southern California and Los Angeles especially "acquired" most of the water from the Owens Lake area in Central California back in the 1920s (movie Chinatown was based on what happened). We've also managed to grab water from the Colorado River and Northern California over the decades. So where's the nearest water from those OZ farmers?
Lindybird: Hope car noise isn't too expensive to fix. We took my CRV in for servicing today with request for extra-special look-see due to upcoming drive to Arizona and New Mexico.
OG: Tiresome that construction noise provided the backdrop for your lunch. Nice you heard from Dau#1; wonder if she'll send a postcard from Germany. :-)
Diane: Hope the Indianapolis trip provides a nice break. Are your friends off to Mexico (?) again?
I too love walking the neighborhood and seeing how other people's gardens are doing; what works and what doesn't work and the growth habits of various plants (saves a lot of trial and error here). I have two Goodwin Creek lavenders that have been in the ground longer than their projected lifespan; cleared a lot of dead wood from both so they look at bit odd (lavenders aren't happy if they're cut back to the wood, but they looked awful anyway.) May remove them completely this fall and plant - redwood chips? :-)
Can't believe it's Friday tomorrow! Have a good one everybody.
Annette: Nope. My friends aren't going to Mexico. The last time they went there, the man contracted Dengue Fever from the mosquitoes. They aren't in a hurry to visit again. LOL They're going to take one of their dogs (the one who gets along well with other dogs) and stay in a luxury cabin (actually a large, posh, rustic rental house) in a huge dog park in a forested area with a pond in North Carolina. I will dog-sit for the other two dogs. One has health issues and the other can be aggressive with other dogs, so those two can't travel with them.
Unknown said: So where's the nearest water from those OZ farmers?
River Murray. It may be Aussieland’s largest river but it is only kept flowing with a series of locks & barrages. SA is the last state and the upstream states have taken more than their fair share of water for cotton & rice (thirsty crops). The river nearly ran dry in the 2001-09 drought. Many SA dairy farmers & fruitgrowers who relied on the Murray for irrigation have lost all. We don’t have natural big lakes. OK, some rivers are dammed to form reservoirs. The Snowy River scheme diverts water to the Murray system. In far north of SA, Lake Eyre only fills only 4 times a century, anyway it is salt.